Updated: 7 Oct 2016

Education Counseling Services

Education counseling services are available to all ARNG Soldiers through the State Education Services Office. Educational counseling helps Soldiers meet educational goals and objectives by providing guidance, advice and planning assistance.

Step 1. Get Assessed

Planning your educational goals and objectives can be a daunting task. To get started, Soldiers should download a copy of your Joint Services Transcript (JST) and then contact your State Education Services Officer (ESO) for further assistance.

ESOs help Soldiers by:

Providing advice and counsel on individual education and career goals; Determining cost-effectiveness of Tuition Assistance and

other resources; Recommending course options such as resident

instruction or online; Providing guidance, information and advocacy to

maximize college credit for military training and experience.

Step 2. Choose a Field of Study

Log-in to your GoArmyEd account (www.goarmyed.com) and use VIA. VIA is a decision support tool designed to help Soldiers make informed decisions.

VIA recommends college degree options that best prepare an individual for that career and recommends schools that offer the degree online or near the location you select. VIA also helps Soldiers choose a “best fit/best value” school by comparing cost, student

outcomes, and alignment with student preferences. After using VIA, Soldiers will submit their career goal, degree, and school selection to their

Army Education Counselor for approval and further discussion if needed. While VIA is a useful tool in the college planning process, additional career guidance and

planning resources are listed in the box above.

Step 3. Choose a School

Choosing a school is a difficult task. Below are a few web sites to help Soldiers make informed choices on available schools and programs; TA Decide: www.dodmou.com/TADECIDE College Navigator: www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator GI Bill Comparison Tool: www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool

MILITARY TRANSCRIPTS: JST: Joint Services Transcript www.jst.doded.mil VMET: Officer Credits www.dmdc.osd.mil/tgps CAREER GUIDANCE/ PLANNING: Army e-Learning: www.atrrs.army.mil/selfdevctr/eLearningWelcome.aspx Kuder College & Career Planning Counseling Services: www.dantes.kuder.com Peterson’s DOD MWR Libraries: www.petersons.com/dod Military OneSource: www.militaryonesource.mil

Updated: 7 Oct 2016

Step 4. Get Financial Assistance

There are numerous Federal, State, and local education programs and services available to ARNG Soldiers. Programs include; GI Bill, Federal Tuition Assistance, State Tuition Assistance (if applicable), Testing services, Financial Aid, Scholarships, and more. The rules governing these programs can be complicated. To ensure you are receiving everything you may be entitled to, contact these offices:

ARNG Education Office – obtain information on ARNG education benefits including GI Bill programs, Federal TA testing services, and state-level programs. School Financial Aid Office – obtain information on

various programs available to students attending an educational institution. Department of Veterans Affairs – obtain information

about various veteran’s education benefits.

Step 5. Attend School

Submit all applications according to the required submission deadlines. Keep your State ESO and School Certifying Official informed of any changes in your enrollment status. Be mindful of minimum Grade Point Averages (GPA) required for certain benefit programs.

Step 6. Graduate!

Upon completion of your program/course, provide an official transcript to your Unit Readiness NCO and the State Education Services Office to ensure your personnel records are up to date.

For More Information: Visit us On-Line: www.nationalguard.com/education Contact your State Education Office:

o Available at www.nationalguard.com/contacts/eso

Follow us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/ arngeducation

GI BILL RESOURCES: Dept. of Veterans Administration www.benefits.va.gov/gibill Apply for GI Bill Benefits www.vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp TUITION ASSISTANCE: Apply for Federal TA Benefits www.goarmyed.com TESTING RESOURCES: DANTES www.dantes.doded.mil CLEP Exams www.clep.collegeboard.org/military Study Materials www.nelnetsolutions.com/dod Credentialing Opportunities www.cool.army.mil FINANCIAL AID/ SCHOLARSHIPS: Free Application for Federal Student Aid www.fafsa.ed.gov Scholarships www.studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/finding-scholarships